United's slip not so surprising
Source: Agencies |
December 2, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
WHILE Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was left to offer abject apologies, and home fans shook their heads, a flick through record books perhaps help illustrate why the English giant's loss to lower-tier Crystal Palace in the League Cup should have come as no great surprise.
Humbled 1-2 at home by Palace on Wednesday night, United's loss simply compounded a staggering record against lowly opponents for England's most dominant club.
Darren Ambrose proved Palace's inspiration, firing in a 35-meter wonderstrike after 65 minutes which television pundit and former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said was the best goal he had seen in 20 years at his old stomping ground. Ambrose then turned provider when his wicked freekick was nodded home by Glenn Murray, who appeared marginally offside, on 98 minutes to set the London team on its way to a clash with fellow Championship (second division) club Cardiff.
While at the same time maintaining a Premier League stranglehold, and filling their coffers with other silverware, United's performances in the League Cup since the 1990/91 season have seen the side lose to lower league opposition nine times - almost an average of once every other season.
Not all of those defeats led to elimination, on occasion United bounced back in a two-legged contest.
But still the statistic is remarkable given that over the same period United won 12 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups, two European Champions League titles, a European Cup Winners' Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, and an Intercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Cup to boot.
It would be easy to assume that in its pursuit of bigger prizes, United's sullied record can be explained away by second-rate line-ups as key players rest for bigger challenges. That may have been part of the answer over the years, but as Ferguson was quick to point out, his team on Wednesday was packed with internationals.
"My apologies to the fans, because this was not a Manchester United performance," Ferguson said. "We never expected that. Any time we go on the pitch it means a lot to Manchester United. We have our pride to protect and our history to protect.
"Every time we walk on the pitch it's important. There were nine internationals out there, so that was a big disappointment."
A disappointment for United? Yes. But a surprise?
Premier League leader Manchester City will face Liverpool in the other semifinal, to be played over two legs early next year, after they beat Arsenal and Chelsea on Tuesday.
Humbled 1-2 at home by Palace on Wednesday night, United's loss simply compounded a staggering record against lowly opponents for England's most dominant club.
Darren Ambrose proved Palace's inspiration, firing in a 35-meter wonderstrike after 65 minutes which television pundit and former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said was the best goal he had seen in 20 years at his old stomping ground. Ambrose then turned provider when his wicked freekick was nodded home by Glenn Murray, who appeared marginally offside, on 98 minutes to set the London team on its way to a clash with fellow Championship (second division) club Cardiff.
While at the same time maintaining a Premier League stranglehold, and filling their coffers with other silverware, United's performances in the League Cup since the 1990/91 season have seen the side lose to lower league opposition nine times - almost an average of once every other season.
Not all of those defeats led to elimination, on occasion United bounced back in a two-legged contest.
But still the statistic is remarkable given that over the same period United won 12 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups, two European Champions League titles, a European Cup Winners' Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, and an Intercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Cup to boot.
It would be easy to assume that in its pursuit of bigger prizes, United's sullied record can be explained away by second-rate line-ups as key players rest for bigger challenges. That may have been part of the answer over the years, but as Ferguson was quick to point out, his team on Wednesday was packed with internationals.
"My apologies to the fans, because this was not a Manchester United performance," Ferguson said. "We never expected that. Any time we go on the pitch it means a lot to Manchester United. We have our pride to protect and our history to protect.
"Every time we walk on the pitch it's important. There were nine internationals out there, so that was a big disappointment."
A disappointment for United? Yes. But a surprise?
Premier League leader Manchester City will face Liverpool in the other semifinal, to be played over two legs early next year, after they beat Arsenal and Chelsea on Tuesday.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
